LOT North American Auction Company  /  American Indian & Western May Sale w/ Luxury...  / 

9

Cheyenne Ghost Dance Polychrome Drum c. 1890

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:2,500.00 USD Estimated At:6,000.00 - 9,000.00 USD
Cheyenne Ghost Dance Polychrome Drum c. 1890
Due to COVID-19 the sale will be conducted Online Only with no in-person bidding available. The sale is scheduled to start one hour earlier at 9am Mountain Time.
This is an important and authentic circa 1890 Cheyenne Native American Indians polychrome painted stretched hide drum from the Ghost Dance movement. The extraordinary piece is originally from the Cheyenne American Indians of Wyoming and is comprised of a bent wood frame with wetted and stretched Buffalo hide adorned with polychrome painted Ghost Dance symbols. In the typical Northern Plains fashion, the back of the drum has an open back. The front shows the old faded Ghost Dance symbols painted on the front of a large waterbird in flight, four-point morning stars, half-moons and two smaller waterbirds flying over a blue painted river. The drum shows a combination of vegetable dyes as well as old paint along with four unique 5-point star cut outs with painted blue borders. Some of the paint has nicely faded and flaked off in places from much age. Ghost Dance pieces from the Cheyenne American Indians are exceedingly scarce as they were late adopters of the movement as they did not initially believe or participate. The piece was first acquired in the late 1960’s by well-respected collector Arnold Marcus Chernoff of Chicago, Illinois. Chernoff late sold the piece to Missouri collector Ben Thompson and then acquired by Mark Francis in the early 2000’s. The piece is referenced in the new book “Rare American Indian Weapons Volume 2” (2020) by Mark Francis on page 95. Chernoff said, upon selling the piece, said the drum had an original beater with it but he somehow misplaced it over the years. A late 19th Century war shield attributed to the Cheyenne in the Peabody Museum with identical five-point star cut outs with painted blue borders likely from a similar hand. Provenance: From the collections of Arnold Marcus Chernoff, Ben Thompson and Mark Francis. Published in the 2020 book Rare American Indian Weapons Volume 2. Chernoff displayed the drum in his American Indian Weapons exhibits in the 1970’s and early 1980’s at shows across the country. The drum measures 21.5” from the top to bottom by 3 inches wide along with old trade clothe strips tied on the back. This is truly a rare and authentic Plains artifact in good condition with honest wear from age and use.
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